ore than 50 million Americans
experience chronic pain,
according to The Journal of Pain.

Stephanie Laska knows that
all too well. The Costco member suffered
from severe headaches and obesity for
several years. Desperate to find relief,
she considered interventions like gastric
bypass surgery.

Evidence shows inflammation
manifests as pain and is the underlying
cause of most chronic diseases. While
stress, alcohol, smoking and pollution are
well-known inflammatory culprits, what
we eat may be more the cause of chronic
pain. Massachusetts-based Dr. Barry Sears,
founder and president of the Inflammation
Research Foundation and author of the

Zone Diet series, says a diet rich in refined
carbohydrates and processed foods can
increase inflammation in the gut and the
blood, which can worsen chronic pain.

Popping a painkiller may seem theeasiest solution to get rid of the discomfort,but a 2018 study in The BMJ (formerlythe British Medical Journal) found anincreased risk of cardiovascular issues withcommon painkillers like diclofenac. “Painmedications only treat the symptoms,” saysSears. Instead, he emphasizes following ananti-inflammatory (AI) diet to reduce theintensity of inflammation in the body toheal and prevent tissue damage.

With several anti-inflammatory diet
trends, it can be hard to find one that works
for you. An AI diet is not a traditional
weight-loss diet but a lifestyle change to
improve overall health in the long run.

Sears says an AI diet is one that consistently
reduces inflammatory response over an
extended period of time.

Benefits

The AI diet is a healthy balance of
nutrient-dense foods that includes protein,
carbohydrates and fat. According to Sears,
an AI diet helps almost every chronic
disorder, as inflammation is the driving
force behind all of them. Studies have also
shown that following an anti-inflammatory
style of eating also reduces the risk of
heart disease and colorectal cancer.

Foremost, an AI diet involves removing
foods that trigger inflammation. For New
York–based Costco member Teresa Kay-Aba
Kennedy, anti-inflammatory foods have kept
her medicine-free for Crohn’s disease. “The
few times I’ve had an autoimmune flare over
the past 21 years were directly tied to going
off of the AI diet,” says Kennedy, a success
and wellness coach.

An AI diet may be beneficial in treating
obesity and associated chronic diseases,

MEating to stopinflammationThe right diet may help easechronic pain and other illnessesby SUJA NATARAJANCOSTCOCONNECTION

Costco offers a wide
variety of fresh and
frozen produce and
prepared meals in the
warehouse, and at
Costco.com by clicking
on “Grocery.”